TEAM HERALD
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PANJIM: Acknowledging that there is deterioration in the quality of floats at the Carnival, a committee constituted by the tourism ministry is set to deliberate in-depth on how Carnival 2014 can get better participation and ensure improvement in the quality of floats during the Carnival parade 2014 which is scheduled in Goa between March 1 and 4.
“Our focus is on sponsorship this time,” a senior tourism ministry official said, pointing out that if there is a good response the proceeds from sponsorship could be channelized towards assisting locals engaged in designing floats for carnival.
“It is a fact that designing a float today costs a lot as the prices of material and diesel have gone up exorbitantly,” said an official in the tourism ministry attributing all these factors to the poor quality of floats.
“There have been complaints pouring in from various quarters that the floats participating at Carnival are of poor quality and during the last two-three years the parades have lost the traditional touch and tenor,” said Tony Rodrigues former Mayor of Panjim who headed the Panjim Carnival committees during his tenure.
Rodrigues who continues to actively participate in the organization of Carnival said, “The government must introduce sponsorship if Carnival floats are to improve in quality.”
Estimating a good quality float to cost nothing less than Rs 1 lakh, Rodrigues said that today small groups are unable to cope with rising costs.
He also added that preparations must begin well in advance and should be free of controversies.
Joaquim Teles, advisor to the Panjim carnival committee also said, “There is a growing demand that the prize money should be increased.”
Teles, who has written a letter to the government on how the quality of Carnival should improve said, “We need to give Carnival the traditional approach right from the start by making it a people’s Carnival and not by out-sourcing it.”
Teles has strongly criticized the out-sourcing of the organisation of Carnival since this year.
Interestingly, the tourism ministry has already finalized its event management agency –Vinsan Graphics for Carnival 2014.
